Stating that the biggest threat to right to information was from the central and state commissions, Gandhi said prolonged pendency of cases with the commissions and faulty selection process of commissioners would defeat the purpose of RTI. Gandhi was in Bhubaneswar to attend a state-level convention on RTI.

Gandhi suggested that a transparent process should be in place to select the commissioners. "It should be a two-step process. First, a search committee should be constituted sufficiently in advance before a post lies vacant. The committee should advertise the vacancy, screen and shortlist candidates for the post. Secondly, an interview of the short-listed candidates should be held in a transparent and accountable manner," he said.